Door-check.



J. H. SHAW.

DOOR CHECK.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.24, 1910.

Lmmm, Patented Jan 5,1915.

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WITNESSES: Q INVENTOR. (SH/43m aw W0 BY A TTORNE Y.

Lmsmm J. H.. SHAW DOOR CHECK.

' APPLICATION FILED OOT.24, 1910.

' Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

8 SHEET8-SHEET 3.

WITNESS-ES:

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ATTORNEY,-

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."roHN H. SHAW, on NEW HAVEN, GONNECTIGUT, nssmrion TO SARGEN'I & comin.0]? NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

noon-annex;

1,123,81l'll.

Speilification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Jan. 5, 1915..

Application filed October 24, 1910. Serial No. 588,719.

". 0 all whom it mag concern and useful Improvements in Door-Checks,-

of which the following is a full,clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to door checks, and more particularly to liquiddoor checks havingdoor closing springs.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide improved meansfor regulating the rapidity of movement of the plunger or piston duringthe closing movement of the door, at a plurality of different points.lllore' especially, it is intended-to provide a door check wherein the,initial m0vement of the plunger during the closing of the door can beaccelerated to a variable degree by regulating means, ad ustable fromthe exterior of the check, and including means for opening and closingone or more intermediate inlets to a passage through which the liquidmoves from one side of the plunger to the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door check having incombination with the means for retarding the plunger movement at anydesired point in the initial closing movement of the door, a secondcontrolling ,means which may be adjusted to control the passage ofliquid from one side of the plunger to the other during the last part ofthe door closing stroke so that, if desired, the last part of the door'closing movement may be very slow in order to prevent slamming of thedoor.

By providing the two controls above mentioned, the checkis adapted foruse on inside doors, doors opening in off the street,

etc., where it is desirable to move the door quickly to a point fiveorsix inchesfrom the closed position, and to then check or retard itduring the remainder of its travel (to prevent slamming); also on doorswhere the closing movement is assisted by a strong draft, 6. (1.,outwardly opening entrance doors, where it is desirable to check orretardthe door substantially throughout the closing. movement; andlikewise on doors where the closing movement is resisted by a strongdraft, or otherwise, and where it is desirable to move the door.forcibly to closed position during the last few inches of the closingmovement.

the bushing S.

ing my improvements, Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 22 of Fig. 1,Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a sectionon line4.4 of Fig. 2, and Figs. 58 inelusive are details hereinafter described.

In the drawings, C designates a door check having a horizontallydisposed piston chamber G and an upright spindle chamber B. i

A designates the spindle of the door check which is arranged-verticallyin the spindle chamber 13. The chamber G is closed atits respective endsby heads 0 and U. The spindle chamber opens into the fluid chamber G inwhich is a reciprocato'ry piston or plunger H, having a rack 1, adaptedto mesh with a pinion J on the spindle A. By this I construction, therotation of the spindle moves the plunger to jthe right or left in thefluid chamber. extremity I) of the spindle is mounted the. usual arm Eadapted to carry the link F, which is secured by means of a suitablebracket to the-door casing in the usual manner. A tube M is fixedlymounted in the head 0 of the check casing or checking cylinder. The tubeM extends through an opening in the head L of the plunger,- and theplunger is, adapted to slide on said tube. Near the inner. face of thehead 0, the tube M is provided with an opening N, and to the right oftheopening N (Fig. 3), the tube is provided with a longitudinal row ofperforations or openings I A plugR, having a shank S, projects into thetube M through the head 0, and is provided with an adjusting head T. Theshank S of the plug is'providedf with screw threads which engagecorresponding threads in a bushing S in the head 0, so that as theadjusting head T is turned in one or the other direction the plug B maybe moved to open or" close the port N. Suitable packinggT is providedbetween the end of the tube M and Projecting through the other head llof the cylinder is a tube V, having its inner end formed to fit'snuglywithin theinner-end of the tube M. This tube V is reduced at its upperend,- as shown On the upper squared are ' at V, and the reduced endportion is provided with an adjusting head lV. A bush-- ing'W surroundsthe reduced portion V,- andholds in place suitable packing X to preventthe escape of liquid around the tube V. The tube V need be of tubularform only at its inner end portion, where it is provided withperforations or openings Z, and with a substantially triangular openingZ adapted'to come into alinement with the row of ports P in the tube M.A spring A within the cylinder bears against one end of the cylinder,and against the head of the plunger H, and tends to move the piston inthe direction of the arrow (Figs. 2- and 5). The head of the plunger isprovided with a perforation B controlled by a ball valve C adapted to beclosed when the plunger is moved in the direction of the arrow (Fig.

2), and to be opened when the plunger is moved in the reverse direction.4 The spindle chamber B is closed at the .top and bottom respectively bythreaded plugs D, which have bearings for the spindle A. The ends of thespindle are surrounded by packing E held in place by collarsorbushingsF, 'which are adapted to be screwed into-plugs D, as shown. A cap G isadapted to be screwed on the lower end of the spindle chamber so as tocover the end of the spindle, and the spindle bearing. Both ends of thespindle chamber areprovided with screw .threads for engaging theinterior threads of the cap G, and both ends of the spindle A tarevsquared to fit the socket in the arm-E, whereby the check may be changedfrom a righthand check to a lefthand check, or vice versa,.by placingthe arm- E on the opposite 'end of the spindle 40 and screwing the .capG on the opposite end of the spindle chamber, as will be understood. I

The operation ofmyimproved door check is substantially as follows: Theopening of the door rotates the spindle A and thereby moves the pistonor plunger H to the right .with reference to Fig. 2. -As the plungermoves in this direction, the valve C" isrpermitted to open, and theliquid .on the right hand side of the plunger may therefore pass" freelyto the right hand side of the. plunger through the valve opening or seatB. The

liquid also passes through the'openings Z, the tubes V and M, and theopening N; lVhen the door has been opened, the spring A tends to movethe plunger in thereverse direction, and thereby to rotate the spindle Ain the opposite direction so as to close the door. As the plungen I-Imoves toward the left of Fig. 2, the valve C is closed. Suppose that thetube V has been so adjusted by means of themanipulating head lV that aSolid portion ofthe tube is opposite the openings P, as shown in Fig. 5,the liquid 35 at the left of the plunger is obliged to pass out off saidports successively.

into the passage in the tube M by way'of the port N only, whence itpasses through the tube M and tube V out of the ports Z. Of course theclosing of the openings b means of the tube V does not throttle the flowof liquid through the passage in the tube M. lVhen the tube V is in.such a position that the triangular opening Z thereof is in register.with the ports P (see Figs. 6 and 7), theliquid will pass freely duringthe initial closing movement, through the ports P into "the intermediateportion of the passage or by-pass. Thus the initial closing movementwill be quicker than in the case of the adjustment first mentioned. Asthe plunger moves toward the left (Fig. 6), the head of said plungerwill pass successivelyover the ports P so that they will be successivelyclosed.

The tube M forms a passagc'or by pass adapted to establish communicationbetween the spaces at opposite sides of the plunger. Onthe closingmovement of the door, the portN serves as the end inlet to the passage,and the .ports P serve as inlets intermediate of the ends of thepassage. The

ports Z at the opposite end of the passage serve as an outlet for theby-pass at the end opposite the port N. The intermediate inlet ports Pare regulable by means of the member V, which acts as. a valve tocontrol the said ports, and when the latter are opened to a greater orless extent by means of such valve the initial part of the plungermovement on the closing of the door isaccelerated correspondingly untilthe ports P are c osed by the plunger. The valve or plug R, or itsequivalent, forms a primary controlling means for varying the flow ofliquid from one side of the plunger to the other at the. end of thestroke as the door is closed, and the valve rod V, in connection withthe ports P, constitutes a secondary controlling means for acceleratingor retarding the plunger during the initial part of said stroke.

. It will be evident that the ports P, if open, increase the capacitv of.the bv-pass considerably beyond what such capacity would be if the portN alone were open. In the embodiment illustrated, the valve rod Vdoesnot open or close all of the ports P simultaneously, as the form andarrangement of the opening-Z make it possible to lVith the ports shownin Fig. 6, the turning of the valve rod to a slight extent in eitherdirection will cut off entirely the port P at the extreme left beforethe next port iscut. ofi, and said next port will be entirely cut off asthe rod is turned to a greater extent. slightly before-thc followingport is cut off, and so Y, a longitudinally disposed tapered groovelocated within the tube or sleeve M, but ob-. viously the same effectmight be produced tion of the liquid would commence early in the stroke.If the next adjacent port P were open at the same time as the first portP, the initial movement of the plunger would be I faster, and it wouldnot be checked until both of said ports were covered by the plunger,.sothat the retarding action would take place later in the stroke. If thethird port P were left open at the same time as the first two ports, theinitial movement of the plunger would be still faster, and the checkingaction-would be still further delayed, and ifall four of the ports Pwere left open, as shown in Fig. 6, the initial plunger movement wouldbe even quicker, and the retarding action would occur comparatively latein the plunger stroke, so that the door would only be checked during thelast few inches of its closing movement. Obviously, the number of theintermediate ports may be varied as desired, likewise the means forcontrolling said ports.

13y screwing inthe plug Runtil it almost covers the port N, the lastpart of the 010s ing movement of the door may be very much retarded.During the last few inches of its movement, the door may be caused tomove very slowly indeed so as to prevent slam ming. The controllingmechansim V, P may be adjusted to'give a very quick closing movementduring a large or a small part of the stroke, but the final part of thestroke, corresponding to the last few inches, of the closing movement ofthe door, is controlled solely by the controlling means R, N, so that ifthe ports P are all open, and the port N is considerably throttled, avery quick initial checking movement will be followed by a very slowfinalv checking movement. The combination of the two controls,therefore, prov des a check which will close the. door very quicklywithout slamming, and this is, of course, a very desirable feature.

I do not limit myself to a construction in which the primary controllingmeans R.

when adjusted to close partially the port N,

throttles the flow of liquid through the passage or by-pass, during theentire stroke, so long as said controlling means is adapted to throttlea passage or by-pass through which the liquid moves from one side of theplunger to the other during the final closing movement in order toprevent slamming. In some cases, however, a forcible final closingmovement of the door is desirable, as

where the closing of the door is opposed by a strong draft, or by apoorly adjusted latch. and insuch a case the plug R will be moved to aposition wherein it will not throttle the liquid, whereby the closingspring is permitted to act with considerable force on the plunger and.door during the last few inches of the closing movement. WVhen, however,the check is attached to an inside door, or a door opening in oil? thestreet, it is generally desirable to adjust the check so that the doorwill more quickly to a point approximately siX inches from closedposition, after which it will be checked or retarded during theremainder of its travel, so that it will movc'slowly and smoothly intoclosed position without slamming. In this case, the valve or plug Vwould be ad usted to leave all of the ports P open, or at least most ofthem, and the valve plug R would be ad justed to throttle considerablythe liquid passing into the tubular member M by way of the end inlet N1hen the check is at tached to a door swinging outwardly, where a strongdraft tends to close the door, it is, of course, desirable to check-orretard the door earlier in its travel, and before it acquires very muchmomentum, which would cause excessive stress and strains on the door andcheck, if the checking action were too long delayed. In this case, theadjustment of the valve plug R, which has been just mentioned, would beretained, but the valve plug V would be adjusted to close all, or mostof the intermediate ports P. The point at which the checking actionshould be initiated varies, of course, with the strength of the draftencountered.

I have not attempted to illustrate and describe the numerousmodifications of the construction which may be adopted within the scopeof the invention as defined in the claims.

Various changes in the details of the device may be made withoutdigressing from the scope of my inventive idea.

What I claim is 1 1. Ina liquid door check, a checking cyl inder, apiston therein, a passage connecting the spaces at opposite sides of thepiston, means regulable from the exterior of the check to control theflow of liquid between said spaces, and other means regulable from theexterior of the check for causing the re tarding action-of the liquid onthe piston to commence at any of plurality of points in the path of thepiston; substantially as described.

. 2. In a liquid door check, a checking cylinder. a piston therein, apassage connecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston, means insaid passa e to control the flow of liquid between said spaces, andother means in said passage regulated from the outside of the check tocause the retarding action of the liquid on the piston to begin theretarding action to begin at any of a pluscribed.

rality of points in the'path of the substantially as described.

4:. In a. liquid door check, a cylinder, a

piston;

piston therein, a passage connecting the spaces at opposite sides of thepiston, means to control the flow of liquid between said spaces, andmeans controllable manually, and automatically controlled by themovement of the piston, to cause the retarding action of the liquid onthe piston to cominence at any of a plurality of points in the pathofthe piston; substantially as de- 5. In a liquid door check, acylinder, a .piston therein, a by-pass connecting the spaces at oppositesides of the piston, means to adjust the eliective capacity of said bypass, and means whereby theretarding ac- I tion of the liquid on thepiston may be increased at any of a plurality of intermediate points inthepath ofthe piston; substantially as described.

- end of the cylinder for causing the retard- 6. In a fluid door check,a-cylinder, a piston therein, an adjusting device at one end of thecylinder for varying the rate of flow from one side of the piston to theother, and

asecond adjusting device at the opposite ing action to begin atdiflerentpoints in the path ofthe piston; substantially as described.

7. Ina fluid door check, acylinder, a piston therein, a passageconnecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston, a. device at oneend of the cylinder for controlling said pa-ssageat one point, andv asecond device atthe opposite end of the cylinder to control said passageat another point; substantially as described. v

i 8. In a fluid door check, a cylinder, a piston therein, a passageconnecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston, a primarycontrolling means cohperating With said passage at one end of thelatter, and a sec ondary controlling means for opening and closing theintermediate portion of the passage; substantially as described.

9. In a fluid door check, a cylinder, at piston therein, a passageconnecting thespaces at opposite sides of the piston, a controllingmeans accessible at one end of the cylinder and cohperating with theinlet of said passage, and aseeondpontrolling means. accessible at theoppositeend of the cylinder for "opening the intermediate portion ofsaid passage to the interior of the cylinder or closing it offtherefrom; substantially as described.

10. In a fluid door check, a cylinder, :1 piston therein, a passageconnecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston, a primarycontrolling means for varying the rate of flow between said spaces,comprising a valve plug directed axially of the cylinder at one end, anda secondary controlling means, for determining the point in the path ofthe piston at which the retarding action beg-ins, comprising a valveplug directed axially of the cylinder at one end thereof; substantiallyas described.

11. In a'fluid door check, a cylinder, a piston therein, a passageconnecting the spaces at-opposite sides of the piston, controlling meansaccessible at the exterior of the cylinder and cohperating with saidpassage to throttle the flow of fluid through the same, and a secondcontrolling means no cessible at the exterior of the cylinder, foropening the intermediate portion of said passage to the interior of thecylinder or closing it off therefrom without throttling the flow offluid through said passage; sub stantially as described.

12. In a' liquid door check, a cylinder, a piston therein, a bypassconnecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston and having aplurality of intermediate ports,

.and valve mechanism arranged to open all of said ports and close themsuccessively; substantially as described.

13. In a liquid door check, a cylinder, a piston therein, a by-passconnecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston and having aplurality of intermediate ports controlled by the travel of the piston,and valve mechanism associated with said ports to close the samesuccessively; substantially as described.

14. In a liquid. door check, a. cylinder, :1 piston therein, a bypassconnecting the spaces at opposite sides of the piston 'and having aplurality of intermediate ports disposed at different points in thelength of said lay-pass, said ports being successively covered by thepiston, and valve mechanism associated with said ports to regulate thepoint in the length of the by-pass at which the piston cuts of]? directcommunication between the intermediate portion oi the by- ;pass and theinterior of the cylinder; substantially as described.

15-. ha liquid door check, a cylinder, :1. piston therein, a fixedby-pass for the passage. of liquid from one side of the piston to theother, and means to open the intermediate portion of the bv-pass to the.interior of the cylinder and close it oil therefrom, Without throttlingthe How of liquid through the by-pass;'substantially as described.

16. In a liquid door check, the combination- With the checking cylinder,of a plun- Lieanio ger or piston mounted to move therein, a by-pass forpermitting the passage of liquid from one side to the other of saidpiston,'a

Series of intermediate inlets to said by-pass adapted to be closed insuccessionby the.

movement of said piston, and a single means accessible from the outsideof said cylinder piston therein, a fixed by-pass connecting the spacesat opposite sides of the piston and having an intermediate pistoncontrolled port to establish communication with the interior of thecylinder, and a manually controlled valve cooperating directly With saidport to open the intermediate portion of said by-pass to the interior ofthe'cylinder and close it off therefrom Without throttling the flow ofliquid through the by-pass; substantially as described.

18. lln a liquid door check, a cylinder, a piston therein, a passageconnecting the spaces at opposite sidesof the piston and ,havingintermediate f its ends a plurality of ports to establish communicationbetween the intermediate portion of said passage and the interior of thecylinder, and a single device cotiperating With said ports directly tocontrol such communication; substantially as described.

19. In a liquid door check, the combination with the checking cylinder,of a plun-.

ger or piston mounted to move therein, a

by-pass for permitting the passage of liquid from one side to the otherof said, piston, means for varying the flow of liquid throughsaidby-pass during the movement of said piston, and mechanism forregulating from the outside of said cylinder the flow of liquid throughsaid by-pass and for checking the operation of said flow varying means;substantially as descr'bed.

20. In a liquid door check, the COIllblIlZI- tion with a checkingcylinder, of a plunger or piston mounted to move therein, a tubeprojecting through said piston and having inlets and outlets for thepassage of liquid from one siderto the other off said piston, a seriesof said inlets to said tube closed in succession by the movement of saidpiston, and a plug accessible 'l'rom the outside of said cylinder foropening or closing said inlets; substantially as described.

Ql. in a liquid door check, the combination With a checking cylinder, ofa plunger or piston mounted to move therein, a tube projecting throughsaid piston and having an inlet and outlet for the passage of liquidfrom one side to the other of said piston, a series of inlets in saidtube adapted to be closed in succession by the movement of said piston,and a supplementary tube adapted when turned in one direction to permitthe flow of liquid through said inlets, andvvhen turned in anotherdirection to prevent the same; substantially as described.

v 22. In a liquid door check, the combination' with a checking cylinder,of a plunger or piston mounted to. move therein, a tube projectingthrough; said piston having a series of openings for the passage ofliquid from one side to theother of said piston, means accessible fromWithout one end of said cylinder for regulating the flow of the liquidthrough said tube, and means accessible from Without the other endofsaid cylinder for regulating the flow of the liquid through said tube;substantially as described.

23. In a door check, the combination of a fluid chamber, a plungerarranged therein, a member provided with a' longitudinally disposedtapered groove mounted to project through the head of said plunger, asleeve surrounding said member and 'provided With a series ofperforations adapted to register With said groove, and means for movingthe plunger longitudinally of the sleeve, the speed of the plunger beinggradually decreased as the egress of the fluid in front of the plungeris retarded by the diminution in size of said tapered groove;substantially as described.

. 24;. In a door check, the combination of a checking cylinder, aplunger movable therein, means affording a passage from oneside of theplunger to the other, said passage having a plurality of intermediateports adapted to serve as inlets for the liquid during the initial-partotthe door closing movement, means associated With said passage foropening and closing said ports, and thereby varying the initial closingmovement, and other means associated with said passage to throttleregulably the flow of liquid during the final closing movement so thatsuch final closing movement may be retarded to the desired extent;substantially as described.

25. In a door check, the combination of a checking cylinder, a plungermovable therein, a fixed tube extending freely through. the plunger andaiiording a passage through said plunger, said tube having a portserving as an end inlet to said passage during the closing movement ofthe door, and being further provided with a plurality 01 intermediateports adapted to serve as additional inlets, means for open ing andclosing said intermediate inlets, and means for regulating the flow ofliquid into said passage by Way or said end inlet; substantially asdescribed.

of the cylinder adapted to serve as an end inlet to the passage throughthe plunger 1n, means affording a passage from one side 25 door,said-passage alsofhaving ,an intermeduring the final closing movementofthe door, said tube also having an intermediate said passage inlet,means cooperating with said intermediate inlet to control the speed ofthe initial closing movement, and with said end inlet to control theflow of fluid into said passage during the final closing movement;substantially as decribed.

' 27. In a door,check,.the combination of a checking cylinder, atplunger movable therein, means aflording a passage from one side oftheplunger to the other, adjustable means cooperating-with saidpassagetohasten or retard the initial closing movement of the door, andadjustable means cooperating with to retard the final closing movementof-th'e door to the desired extent; sub stantially as described.

28. In a ;door check, the combination of a checking cylinder, japlungermovable thereof'the plunger to the other, said passage having an endinlet adjacent one end of the cylinder through which inlet the fluidpasses during the final closing movement of the diate inlet, meanscooperatingwith said intermediate inlet to vary the speed of the initialclosing movement, and means cooperating With said end inlet to retardthe final closing movement in order to prevent slamming, or'to permit astrong closing movement of the door during thelast few inches of itstravel; substantially as described.

29. In a door check,.the combination of a checking cylinder, a plungermovable thereinya tubular member extending through, the plunger, an'daffording a passage for the liquid in moving from one side of the pistonto the other', said tubular member having an end inlet for-the passageof fluid during the finalclosingmovement, and being also provided witha'plurality of intermediate inlets, means in said tubular membercooperating with said intermediate inlets to vary the initial movementof the door and means in s'aidpassage cooperating With'said end inlet tothrottle the flow of fluid into the passage during the last few inchesof the travel of the door, so as to retard'the final closing movement,said last named means'being adjustable to-permit a free movement of themeans cooperating plunger movable therein,

fluid into said passage ,by way of said eng inlet during thefinal-movement so that th door will be forcibly moved into its closedthe initial closing movement, and means to control the flow of fluidinto the tubular member by way of the end inlet during the final partofthe closing movement 5 substantially as described,

31. In a door check, the combination of a fluid chamber, a plungermovable therein, means adjustable from the exterior of the check to varythe speed of the initial part of the door closing movement, and anothermeans,co 6peratmg with said firstmeans, and likewise ad ustable :tromthe exterior of the check, to retard the'final part of the closingmovement to-the desired extent; substantially as described.

32. In a door check, a fluidchamber, a means adjustable from theexterior of the cheek to cause the retarding action of the fluid tobegin. at any of a number of points in the path of the plunger, saidmeans including a fixed tubular member extending freely through theplunger and having a plurality of ports, and a device for controlling atleast one of said ports; in combination with means, likewise adjustablefrom the exterior of the check, for varying the speed of the final partof the closlng movement said last named means including an elementcoti'p'erating with another of the ports in said tube; substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 7th day ofOctober, 1910.

JOHN ,H. SHAW.

.Witnesses: v CUSTIS P. 'XVILLIAMS,

BEn'rH-A'RAY.

